Why I'm here.

I grew up in a somewhat liberal, extremely pacifist household in the equally liberal Washington state. I had some good friends who introduced me to the errors of my upbringing. Guns (any weapons really) were a forbidden topic in my house, so when I was first introduced to shooting sports I fell in love- kind of a forbidden fruit thing I think. My mother still wonders where she went so wrong.
Because of my upbringing, and my poverty in college, I am not your average gun guy. Most “gun people” buy a gun and it stays in the family, passed on through generations when the owner goes to their heavenly reward. I, on the other hand, go through guns like they were work pants. I get bored, or I look too close, or I shoot them till I don’t like them anymore. Over the past five years I have bought, shot, and sold or traded More than 50 firearms. Along the way I have learned TONS, established opinions, and had a great time. Now some will ask, “Why” ? It all comes down to a deal I made with my incredibly beautiful, and patient wife. When we were first engaged we talked about lots of important things in great detail, and one of those was firearms. She knew I liked guns and enjoyed shooting (though at the time neither of us had any idea how big this would become). She was worried about having hundreds of guns strewn everywhere around the house. We set a four gun limit at any given time. Over the years that deal has been revisited and modified, but the rule made me sell a gun before I could get a new one. It also has led me to play with a ton of platforms and a ton of accessories. This review blog is based on the experience gathered along the way. I have also figured out how to self-fund my gun addiction. In our house “gun money” is a separate entity, though I have on occasion used it to spoil my wife. “Gun money” is money made from a gun sale that is used for buying another gun or ammo. (Gun money also magically accumulates when I let my wife pick our sons names). Guns have become a real investment to mee, they hold their value very well. I have made a lot of additional “gun money” along the way. My addiction started with a $550 initial investment and has grown to around $15,000 in guns, and around $8000 in ammo (though little of that is left) in the course of five years.

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The Mossberg 930


I still didn’t have a shot gun that I could really say that I loved; I tried many and sold many in the search but still had nothing to show for it. One day I figured out what was to be done. Mossberg had a semi auto shot gun, the Mossberg 930. Along the way I had learned that I didn’t like pistol grip’s or ghost rings on a shotgun, so I looked for and found a bare bones 930 with bead sights, and a normal stock. After a month or so of finding nothing that fit the criteria I posted a want add and that very afternoon received a response. It had a few mods done but for $500 I made it mine. As I normally do I installed a side saddle and a stock shell caddie I also installed a mag tube extension. It is the best alternative I have found to the Mossberg 500 I loved so long ago. As for reliability it runs like a sewing machine (but louder, easier to carry, and it kicks more) I ran it in a 3 gun and it did just fine, all in all it is very nearly what I was looking for (I would like a blade and grove set of sights on it.) I, sadly don’t shoot shotgun near as much as I once did, but whenever I do shoot the mossy I still have memories of shooting down by the river as a 18 year old, jump into my mind and it makes me smile.

THE GOOD:
The Mossberg is so nearly my dream shotgun that I doubt I will ever find an alternative.
I love having confidence in a semi auto shotgun. I have owned 4 now and this one is the only one that I truly believe will work when I pull the trigger.
It eats all ammo I have fed it.
THE BAD:
I still don’t like the bead sights.


FINAL THOUGHTS:
I know some who knock Mossberg, but I have had nothing but luck with them. I love the feel of a quality gun and mossy’s just oozed a quality feel. I cannot say that this is my end all be all shot gun but for the time being it does everything I want it to, and I have had it almost as long as I did my m500 now. For me that says a lot.


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